Engaging your students in the Massachusetts Special Senate Election: Key ways to involve them even as the school year is winding down

Post on May 6, 2013 by Barbara Canyes

The Campus Election Engagement Project has released the following recommendations in advance of the Massachusetts special U.S. Senate election in June:

How do we engage America’s 20 million college students in our country’s elections? The Campus Election Engagement Project worked with 750 campuses in 2012 to help students register to vote, learn about issues and candidates, volunteer in campaigns, and participate at the polls. 2013’s Massachusetts US Senate election is different, because most students will be off for the summer, but there are still effective nonpartisan ways for you to engage them. We’ve compiled this list to help you engage your campus, together with our accompanying Guide to Massachusetts Voting Rules, and Nonpartisan Guide to Candidate Stands.

Off-year elections generally produce a much lower voter turnout rate, and particularly special elections. Just 15% of Massachusetts 18-29-year-olds showed up at the polls in January of 2010. Yet the June 25 special US Senate Election is just as important to Massachusetts and to the nation as was 2012. Given that your classes are winding down and that most students will soon be away from school, we’ve focused on select strategies that can increase student electoral participation even in this atypical context.

Access the full recommendations by the Campus Election Engagement Project here: